Painting Philosophy of Peruvian Artist

Life

I paint with an emphasis on expressing LIFE (the spirit and the soul) which is the expression of my love for the natural world and its creatures. From the heart of my Incan cultural comes my love and respect for nature. I honor my love of nature and man by painting with a balance of rhythm, harmony, and movement. This is the tradition of my people the Incans Indians of Peru, and the Chinese Philosophers which I studied at the Central Institute of Fine Arts of China. Thus, when I paint, the animals have a voice, the spirit of nature speaks, and man travels in harmony with nature and God.

Use of Color & Patterns

I render an emotional tone of the rhythm of the Incan Indian life through my vibrant use of color. I use bright and radiant combinations of reds, turquoises, purples, and oranges, which characterize the textiles and ceramics of the Peruvian Andean. It is believed that the colors appease the spirits so that they will be happy and will not bring forth darkness. I employ simple swirling patterns to transmit a sense of the peace and harmony that radiate from the Incan Indians close interrelation to the land. It is this sense of the sacredness in nature that comes from deep within my works.

Calligraphy

What has fascinated me about traditional Chinese painting when I studied it was the use of colors and lines from calligraphy. Calligraphy in Chinese tradition expresses feelings, harmony, rhythm, movement and balance. The Chinese say, "Let's see how you write to see how you paint!" If you do not write calligraphy, you don't paint. The Aztec, Mayans and Incans (symbolic writers) say the same in their philosophy, "to write is like painting and painting is like writing." Thus from the writing come the discipline and precision of the trained artist, along with the rhythm, harmony, and movement that expresses the fragile side of human life and nature as they exist in a delicate harmonious balance.

Feng Shui

I stay true to the Chinese ancient philosophy of nature, Feng Shui in most of my paintings. Feng Shui is mainly concerned with understanding the relationships between nature and ourselves so that we might live in harmony within our environment. Feng Shui is related to the very sensible notion that living with rather than against nature benefits both humans and our environment. Most of my paintings honor the traditions of Feng Shui.

Materials Used

My western paintings demonstrate the themes, stripes, techniques and the use of natural colors and inks. I paint with natural inks, water colors, acrylics, and oils on rice paper, cotton paper and canvas.

My eastern paintings use techniques and materials that span several dynasties, such as the Song, Tang, Yuan, Ming, and Qing. They are painted on rice paper, different color silks using natural Chinese inks and colors.

Copyright: © 2004 by Ernesto Apomayta

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About The Author

Ernesto Apomayta

Born and raised in Puno, Peru, Ernesto Apomayta was identified as an artistic prodigy at the tender age of five. As a boy, Apomayta was first influenced and inspired by the natural marvels surrounding the humble home he shared with his family. In close proximity to shimmering Lake Titicaca, the striking beauty of the Andes and the awe-inspiring Incan ruins of his ancestors, Apomayta was spiritually compelled to express his wonder visually through his paintbrush. A direct ancestor of the legendary photographer, Martin Chambi, Apomayta derived inspiration from the same native influences and his legacy that encouraged Apomayta to fulfill his own artistic destiny.

To view many of Ernesto Apomayta's pieces of artwork please visit www.apomaytaart.com for full information on Mr. Apomayta.

apomayta@hotmail.com